My Life With Natty Gann
by Jade Meridian
Summary: The Journey of Natty Gann Harry's POV. I'm hoping to keep writing after the movie ends but I don't know if that is within my skill range. Enjoy :D
1. On the Train

The first time I met Natty Gann I was eighteen and riding the rails.

I was just sitting down on a crate in the boxcar I'd jumped into when I heard a gasp coming from the doorway. Looking down I noticed a small hand clinging to the opening, it was obvious the kid wasn't going to make it on their own. I wasn't about to just let someone die, not when it could be prevented, so I reached down and yanked the kid in. The kid was tiny, has no business being on the tracks.

"You know, uh . . . you can get hurt that way." I said to the kid as I sat down again.

The two guys on the other side of the car started talking then, trying to freak the kid out. "I thought that one was a gonner. "

I pulled out a cigarette and match while listening. "Rail meat, little bits of blood and busted guts. . ." Here I interrupted, "Leave the kid alone!" I ordered. I lit my cigarette and took a puff, thinking about my first time on the rails, before looking up at the kid, who still hadn't said anything.

It was almost like the kid wanted to disappear it was pressed so flat against the wall, but soon enough the kid had slumped down in the corner asleep. I slept a bit too but when you're on the rails you kind'a learn to sleep with one eye open. Around six in the morning I woke up all the way and with nothing else to do, the other guys had left during the night, got out my harmonica. After a bit of playing I began to feel someone's eyes on me. I was surprised to look up and see the kid listening with interest on its face, the kid was just as startled to see me look up. In response to the music stopping she blurted out, "That was nice!" a bit defensively.

"Huh," was all I said as I brought my harmonica down and started tapping it on my hand. A girl, it was probably a good thing the other men hadn't known that. Being a boy was bad enough it was dangerous for a girl by herself. I wonder what happened to make her run.

"Where'd the others go?" She asked.

"I dunno."

"Where you goin'?" She tried again.

I tucked my harmonica in my pocket before answering, "West."

"Me too," she replied instantly. "My Dad's out west."

"Yeah?" I responded, in a, almost bored, skeptical tone. Sure the kid's Dad was waiting for her. If she had to ride the rails to get to him, he probably wasn't. She was probably just running away.

"In Washington State," She clarified.

"What part?" I asked.

She looked frantic for a second before replying, "The . . . middle part."

I smirked, definitely a run away, "You're runnin' away, huh?"

"What makes you say that?" She asked, in a tense worried voice, before realizing how much like a confirmation it sounded and , trying to backpedal, said "I didn't say that!" while shaking her head the tiniest bit.

"You didn't have to." I remembered the first time I ran away, when those busy bodies were trying to put me in a state home. No way was I going to one of those places. My thoughts turned back to the kid, she was still staring at me. I almost rolled my eyes at her.

"You better wise up if you expect to make it, Kid."

That ticked her off, "Oh I'll do alright mister know-it-all!"

Just then a horrible screeching sound split through the air. I almost laughed as the kid threw out her arms to brace herself on the wall, not so tough now was she.

I got up and ran to the opening the kid following. Up the rail you could see the rail cops waiting to check the train. "Don't let the bulls catch ya!" I informed the kid.

"The what?" Her voice came from behind me.

"Railroad cops." I explained.

"Y' think I don't know that!" She snapped at me. I looked back at her and had to resist rolling my eyes again, she had no idea what she was doing.

"Jump with the train and you'll be alright." I told her as I sat down on the edge to get ready to jump. She said something but I didn't catch it and then sat down next to me.

As the train slowed a bit more I prepared to jump, "Good luck, Kid." I told her. I heard a faint almost sarcastic 'yeah' and then I was gone. When I hit the ground I looked back to see the kid still on the train, I didn't know why but I was suddenly very worried she was scared stiff and wouldn't be able to make the jump. Then the bulls started coming at us and I had to run. I looked back once to see if the kid made it but I couldn't tell, I had to keep going.


	2. Thieves and Partners

Honestly, after that I forgot about the kid. You see so many people out on the tracks; it doesn't mean you'll ever see them again, so why dwell on them? But then she tried to steal my food.

I had moved a few steps from my fire and when I looked back there was a scrawny little kid trying to steal my dinner! "Hey! What the hell d'you think you're doin'!" I yelled, chasing after the kid. "That's mine." I grabbed the can and started back to the fire. Setting it down I looked up to see the kid staring at me.

"I know you," She said, a little surprised. "You helped me . . . in Chicago."

I recognized her then; she looked tired . . . and hungry. Nope, don't even think about it, you're mad at her. "Nice way a' payin' me back!" I told her. She looked at me for a few seconds and then turned her attention to the guys across the 'road'. They were a tough group; somebody had tried to steal from them and got beat to ribbons. "I wouldn't try it." I cautioned her, as I stirred the beans. "Steal their food they're gonna eat you up."

I made the mistake of looking up at her. She looked starved, staring longingly at the food; no little kid should have to look like that. I sighed, "Got a spoon?" She shook her head in the negative. Of course she didn't have a spoon! I reached into my pocket and tossed her mine. She caught it, again looking surprised, as I moved the food closer to her. "Go on." I told her, resigning myself to the fact that I probably wouldn't get dinner. She looked down at her hands and back at me, obviously not trusting me.

"What do I gotta do for it?" She asked. It made me a little upset that a little girl had to worry about what kind of payment would be expected of her when she was hungry and probably had been for days.

"Just eat the dang beans, Kid!"

I tried to ignore her as she grabbed the can and started to eat. I was hungry! Why did I have to be so nice! Just then I heard a low growl coming from the side of the lean to behind the girl. I looked up, both annoyed and grateful for the distraction. And then all thought fled for a second. Stalking towards us was a big, snarling, hungry looking dog. "Uh-oh," I murmured, grabbing a stick and putting a foot under me in case I had to jump. Whether towards the dog or away from it I really didn't know. I didn't know what it was about this girl but for some reason I felt protective.

The kid looked up at me and then followed my gaze; she didn't seem shocked at all when she saw the animal. I was a bit nervous and then I heard her calmly ask "Where'd you go?" She was talking to the animal!

"Is that a friend of yours?" I asked her, not moving from my position.

"We're travelin' together." She explained.

Crazy kid, "It's hard enough without packin' a dog." I told her sarcastically. She looked at me like I was an idiot, "He's a wolf." This kid really was crazy, a little homeless _girl_ riding the rails and packing a wolf with her! "That's even better." I mocked her. She turned to start eating again, "We take care of ourselves."

"Yeah I bet." I mumbled, and how does you sitting at my fire eating the food you tried to steal from me equate into that exactly? She took another spoonful of the beans and let the wolf lick it as I sat down again. Great now my dinner is going to a dog, "That ain't dog food!" I stated, pointing the stick I still held at them. The kid looked at me with a definite challenge in her eyes, "Oh yeah?"

Y' know it wouldn't be that bad a thing if she stuck around. Wait a minute, no way, not happening. . . . What if that's what she expects? "Look, I go alone, I don't take no partners! 'Specially not a _girl_!" I started but she interrupted. "Well nobody asked ya." She said going for another bite.

"Good, don't."

"I won't!" She stated firmly. I must be going soft because I suddenly find myself very lonely and a bit annoyed at her for not asking to stay. 'Hold on,' I tell myself. 'Why would I want a kid tagging along with me! She'd just slow me down!'

"Something ain't right!"

My head jerks up at the sound of her voice, "What?"

"Something's wrong!" She repeats, "He always knows!"

That's interesting, if it's true that would be real handy. I got up to check down the road towards town. I'd only taken about five steps when I saw the car and torches! How did the animal do it! I immediately turned to get the kid moving. "We need to leave!" I exclaimed, running to grab a few of my things that weren't already in my pockets. The kid followed me as I ran and stopped behind a pillar of the bridge to watch what happened. Already half the camp was on fire. "Who are those guys?" the kid asked me. "Mainstreeters," I replied derogatorily. "Good law abiding citizens." We saw as one of the townies used a club to knock a man down. "They don't like the way we live." I added. As the flames rose and spread I decided it was probably time we started going again. "You comin'? " I asked the girl as I turned.

"But I thought you don't t-! "

"Make up your mind kid." I interrupted her.

She didn't reply but when I looked behind me, to check if anyone had seen us, she was there. I'd never tell her this, or admit it, but I was glad she followed me.


	3. What Did I Get Myself Into?

We were running for a while, I wanted to get as far from the mainstreeters, and hopefully some of the less savory men from the camp, as possible. We didn't speak, I don't know what her reason was, I was trying to figure out what in the blue blazes I had just done. Inviting a kid along? And not just any kid, but a _girl_ with a _wolf_! The rails were dangerous enough alone as a man, now I'd given myself the responsibility of a kid? I groaned a little.

She must've heard me because that's when she started talking. "Hey mister, where are we goin'?"

"To catch a train."

"Where?"

"Up ahead."

"Yeah, because that totally answers my question." I heard her grumble; great the kid had a mouth on her but then I already knew that didn't I.

"There's a place up ahead where the trains goes slower to get around a curve and up a hill. If we're there at the right time we can jump on and be in a different state by tomorrow."

"How do you know?"

"Do you ever stop asking questions? I know because I saw it when I got to this place." I was tired, I was hungry, and I was stuck with a whiney little girl-child. Well if we're gonna be stuck together I may as well be civil. "Where'd you get the wolf?"

She looked at me a little warily before answering. "I met him at a dog fight."

That made sense; no way she got that thing from the wild and survived. "Because that totally answers my question." I mimicked her words back at her, "How did you become travel buddies?"

"After I met him at the dog fight, he escaped and we ended up on the same train. I hid in the railcar he was in and he started snarling at me. You better believe me; I backed out'a there real quick! But I left him some food. He must've appreciated it because he left me some food later, after the train blew up. Since then I've protected him and he's protected me."

Train blew up?! What kind of shenanigans did this girl get herself into? "What do you call him?"

"Wolf."

"You're kidding me right?" I asked, amused, "I thought girls were supposed to have really frilly names for their pets?"

"Hey!" She shouted at me.

I could feel myself smirking, I couldn't help it; she was pissed. I think she was still wary of me, though, because she didn't do much but glare.

We walked in silence for a bit longer before we cleared the tree line and got to the tracks. I put my head down to feel the vibration. I could feel the kid get down behind me and do the same, though I didn't think she knew what she was doing.

"She's coming."

I looked at the girl as I stood up. I was right; she had a confused little wrinkle on her forehead.

As the train came into view I got excited; today was a good day. It was a heavy freighter, meaning it was weighed down and came chugging up the hill at a slow enough pace that we'd be just fine getting on. As long as we timed it right of course.

"Oh it's gonna be a good one, it's a true freight!" I told the kid as I put my gloves on. "Right Train, right speed, perfect."

My eyes were still on the train coming but I twitched a bit when we heard that howl. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Wolf run off into the trees and the girl follow him a few steps.

"What're you doing?" She yelled after him. She didn't seem to know much about wolves either.

I don't know why but I felt really anxious seeing her in my periphery. What if she didn't make it onto the train? It was coming close.

"Hey come on, Kid, get set!" I shouted to her. She glanced at me but continued to shout after her pet. The train was right next to us and starting to speed up.

"Hey! Come on, now! Quick, before it gets going!" I jumped up onto the ladder on the side of the first car and then started sidling over to the door. Once I got there; I looked back to see the kid running alongside.

"We gotta wait for him!" She shouted, sounding winded. Dang girls and their animals.

"Forget it, that was a she-wolf calling, he's gone."

"He wouldn't do that!" She insisted. It's a wild animal of course it would and we were running out of time.

"Come on, get on!" I called.

"He's coming, I know it!" We were almost out of time didn't she see that!

"Grab my hand dang it!" I yelled at her, reaching my hand out and holding on to the car with the other. She was almost there.

"Reach!" I grabbed hold of her arm, swung her around, and pulled her inside. We landed in an awkward heap on the floor with her on top of me but before that could register she was up at the door looking for her wolf.

"There he is!" I still couldn't see him.

"Come on!" She yelled again, "Run!" Oh, there he was. Huh, there was no way he'd make it. "Faster! Come on!"

"He's not gonna make it." I told her, shaking my head.

"Come on!" She ignored me. Wait, was the wolf catching up? There's no way.

"He's never gonna make it." She barely even glanced my way.

"Come on! Come on, jump!"

"Not gonna make it!" I couldn't believe what I was seeing, "won't make it . . ." I all but whispered.

The kid yelled one last time. "Jump!" The wolf passed the opening we were in by a little bit and then turned and ran for us. And he was in!

"He made it!" I exclaimed. I turned to see the girl hugging him. As I watched she pulled back and kissed him on the nose. She looked so happy and innocent. It took me a minute to realize I was still smiling softly. What had I gotten myself into?


End file.
